For those of us with BMI over 35
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Hey 24.9 sounds really good to me. 65 pounds that is alot of weight!
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I agree, BMI of 24.9 and a 65 pound loss is amazing! Can you share your method for the weight loss? Right now I would be happy to have a BMI of 35 and a body weight that didn't have a “2" as the first number!
I use large clothes to hide my body. I've done that for years to hide my lymphedema too! I know the only person who thinks it works is me because at numerous doctor/therapist first visits I would say “I have lymphedema in my left arm," to which their answer was always, “yes I can see that!" I wear long sleeves all year unless I am at home with just my husband.
Today my exercise will be my favorite kind, running around after my darling 3 & 5 year old grandchildren!♥️
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I really don’t have a secret - I just log all my food, as I eat it, on “My Fitness Pal” - An IPhone or Android app. I eat 1200 calories a day and weigh myself weekly. I don’t exercise that much - maybe an hour a week. I still want to lose another 8 or so pounds, but don’t know if my treatments will prevent that. I’ve been yo-yo dieting for many years - up and down. I really hope I can maintain this.
Best of luck and love! 🌸🌸
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I can’t wear long sleeves year round, it’s too hot here for that. During our 3 weeks of winter I do. I wear shorts, and short sleeve tops. And sandals. I really don’t care.
What does bother me is being called sir. I keep my hair short, and it’s thin. Thanks chemo! So here comes this chunky woman with no boobs, short thin hair, hi sir! What can I help you with🤬🤬
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Runrbc - I'm sorry about your husband, and what you said helped me, cookies, bread and fries are my favorite foods! Wine or dessert, good way to think about it. Thank you.
KJchico - My Fitness Pal is a great website, thank you for that reminder, think I will go back and visit my account there today.
Spookiesmom - Your sense of humor is wonderful. My face aged 10 years with chemo, and I see it each day, if I bother to look in that mirror. I have that hair too. But we are beautiful, much more so, after all we've been through. I think you learn what is important in life having to go through this.
It is a new day, and new chance to achieve our goals. I went home last night and did not walk down the street as planned, I have another chance today. Hugs to everyone, Lisa
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Jimmy Buffett has a great line in one of his songs If we couldn’t laugh we would all go insane. He’s right.
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Amen to that, sister!
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Well I have been chunky all my life. I weigh about 190 which is pre BC DX weight. Yes chemo was great bc wo dieting I dropped to 162. I know I never be akinny. Right now I tried to walk 7 miles four times a week use stairs at work. Park my car farthest corner from the door at work. Thyroid, arimidex and two diff types of low dose SSRIs sure don't help. Yes and the hystrectomy. Lately I got into Ginger kick. Great benefits all around. The only side effect is being a blood thinner.
And Ginger is great appetite suppressant.
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I'm back from vacation. Today I have an appointment with my lymphedema therapist. Dreading that, but I know it is what I should do.
Starting a more plant based diet today. I also want to start an exercise program, but that won't be for a while because I have too much to do and I am exhausted from vacation. I used to love road trips, but three days one way of long driving with high truck traffic is the pits!
Hoping my therapist says I can fly next time I visit my son and family!
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Hello! I am wondering whether anyone here struggles with emotional eating, and an increased BMI? For as long as I can recall, food has been a source of refuge and comfort. I would rather eat my feelings than let them out. This keeps me overweight, and multiple resources say that being overweight / obese can mean additional cancer. I have six month scans next week and am trying not to beat myself up thinking that additional cancers would be caused by my clinging to food as a life preserver and not losing weight. My fault. Would you mind offering some insights to keep me on a productive track to getting healthier, quit the blame game and picking up from here? Thank you for reading and much love and luck to all - Belle xx
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Hi Teddy! I can't speak for others but emotional eating is my problem too! I work hard to keep from doing that but sometimes things happen and comfort food is the only thing that helps!
I'm still a work in progress but here are some things that help me.
Don't buy junk food if you can do that. My children are grown with families of their own and my husband is diabetic (and thin) so I have no reason to bring it into the house. When I lost weight at Weight watchers my leader said “say no once in the store or you will have to say no over and over again at home!"
That said, it doesn't help when I get stressed and crave comfort food, so I keep some “healthier" treats for times when I need a treat! Right now I have a box of Kind Bars, nuts with sea salt and dark chocolate and I have a box of dark chocolate covered frozen bananas in my freezer. Those are my go to treats but I only have one when I really need a treat! Can you tell I go for the chocolate?
I have eating issues since my DIEP reconstruction so that has helped me as far as portions go. I can't eat much at one time because I get bloated and abdominal pain about 15-20 minutes after I eat. It isn't bad as long as I eat small portions. If I eat too much I will pay for it for hours! Not sure why, I am seeing a gastroenterologist in August.
Back to the stress eating, I adopted a philosophy of being like water....I go with the flow and choose the paths of least resistance whenever I feel stressed to the max! I also do some mini meditation. Close my eyes for a few minutesand think of something or a place that is calming. Usually I picture myself in a hammock by the beach, swinging slowly while listening to the rhythm of the waves crashing on the sand.
These aren't miracle fixes but they help me and I feel better knowing I am at least going in the right direction
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I limit what junk I eat by not buying everything i want. If it's not in the house, i can't eat it. Working some on portion control. That's more my issue.
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The weight battle/saga continues... Met with my MO Monday for scan results, which were good/stable but she expressed concern over my weight gain trend. I’m only up 12 lbs from this time last year but being ER+, the extra fat is not helping. So, Thyroid levels checked and meds are appropriate. Next is another visit with integrative medicine but I already have a good diet and possibly a fat blocker type med, if insurance approves. So, we’ll see how it goes.
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What kind of medication did your doctor prescribe? Are your doctors from MD Anderson? My sister lived outside of Houston and went to MD Anderson, they were outstanding.
I'm going to sign up at a local gym next week. I wish I could feel good about it but I don't. A lifetime of battling weight has not offered me much hope to ever be close to normal
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The medication is Xenical (a fat absorption blocker), there are a couple others but those have potential cardiac risk and my cancer meds already do that. Yes, I am at MD Anderson, I am happy with them too.
Good luck at the gym! I never thought I’d say this but I really enjoy it. I do weights, elliptical, a 20 minute walk (listening to old rocksteady/soul) and 20 minutes cycling (watch comedies on Netflix). It’s a chance to get out of my head and get lost in simple things. I haven’t really lost weight from it but I am much stronger now.
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I have lost a bunch of weight since Dx... about 35 lbs so far. I made a lot of changes to my eating post Dx. I have never been obese but i have carried an extra ~40 lbs for two decades (it crept on 5 lbs at a time...).
How have I changed my habits?
-I too do intermittent fasting and occasional extended fasting. I generally eat between noon and 9 pm. I do this for health benefits and anti-cancer benefits and it is not hard once you get used to it!! Black coffee or tea is ok in non-eating window. You can read about fasting and "fasting mimicking" and Dr Valter Longo at USC. I began doing this during chemo to help with SEs. I began enjoying the feeling of awareness of hunger and an empty belly.
I exercise in the am -- for me it's better to exercise before eating or I can get nausea from exercise on a full tummy. I have my coffee, take my hike, shower, clean up house, make a few calls or do some errands and it is noon already and I can eat lunch. I was an exerciser before, so I have kept that up (also a cancer benefit). Exercise alone will not drop weight.... or I would not have been heavy before... But combined with lean eating, it accelerates weight loss and makes sure you don't lose muscle. I do pilates 2x per week and 3x hill hikes. Pilates is the first form of "gym workout" I genuinely enjoy... you leave there feeling limber, stretched out, and worked out all at once. It's good for body awareness as you only focus on one area of your body at a time. And you never have to do things past a count of ten!
- I have given up junk, empty calories, and empty carbs for only nutrient dense "medicine" foods. No more white flour white sugar white potatoes, booze breads etc. Only nutrient-dense carbs like lentils, quinoa, beans. It's a matter of realizing what you CAN eat and focusing your shopping list on things that feel like treats but are good for you.... almonds and other nuts and seeds, avocados, salads, organic eggs or lean meat, berries, and low glycemic fruits, etc. Eat from the best anti-cancer foods lists!! Greens, alliums, cabbages, mushrooms, blueberries, etc. I never worry about calories -- only whether or not the food is delivering a lot of nutrients and anti cancer compounds per bite and is a food a cave person would possibly have eaten. NO frankenfoods like cheetos; no processed foods. My big treat is a few fries from someone else's plate! I miss fries!! I do not miss dessert at all now that I have been eating this way for a year. In fact, if I take a bite of someones dessert it tastes way too sweet now.
I had some comfort eating and drinking issues before, with a sweet tooth and a nightly cocktail. Now, an apple sliced up and dipped in almond butter feels like dessert... it is delicious and sweet but it is all nutrient dense. There is a kind of granola they sell in bins at whole foods (Paleo Cocoanut Granola) that's all seeds etc and low carb... feels like dessert at this point to sprinkle some on cottage cheese. I will eat fats via some dairy but try to keep to <20% of calories for recurrence prevention. Mostly I eat the rainbow of veggies, using 2-3 vegetables per meal, plus deep sea fish, nuts, seeds, and berries. A bit of cheese and dairy. Once in a while some grass fed organic red meat or chicken. If you make a tiny steak plus a green salad, brussels sprouts, and broccoli, that is a large plate of food and it is all lean and healthy.
In a nutshell, eat abundantly from the "approved anti-cancer foods" list and do not worry about calories too much. I am lucky to live in an area with abundant tempting produce. This diet would be hard in a food desert.
Exercise is also a large recurrence reducer. Literally your muscles, when working out intensely, generate a lot of pressure on the blood flowing through them. This pressure pulverizes any damaged cells but is fine for healthy cells. So every time you are pushing yourself in exercise, you are killing cancer. That's a motivator!
A big thing is getting out of sugar burning and into fat burning for fuel (ketosis). You have to maintain a clean (v low carb) diet for abut a month before this switches over. In the meantime you can feel pooped and crabby. But if you stay with the low carbs past the 30 days, it gets easy. The energy levels pop back up and the weight loss begins. Most people do "Atkins" keto which is lots of cheeseburgers. I do more of a vegan keto with is a lot of low carb veggies and not too many animal products.
Last-- a dog can get people out and walking. A 20 min walk 3 x a day is wonderful exercise. Women who exercise 30-60 mins per day have much lower recurrence rates.... that's 3-6 hour per week. If you cant do it every day a couple of long walks on the weekend or some gardening or other physical labor, can bring you up to that range.
Lets be good to ourselves!!!!
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Thank you all for your replies, suggestions and kindness. Its all very much appreciated. I have read posts from many of you over the years, and while I may not have posted in the topic string, you gave me great comfort and I often check your posts to see how you are doing. So thanks again for your advice, and your help! Keep happy.Love, Belle xx
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Not sure how I missed this group, but happy to join you!! My weight issues popped up with menopause, just like all the other women in my Mom's family. Sigh. I did find that giving up diet soda significantly helped me stabilize my weight, which absolutely shocked me. At least until I started on a very brief (14 day) trial on Arimidex, which put on 15 pounds in 2 weeks. There were many horrible side effects, so thankfully I did not have to stay on that. Even being dx Stage 4, I would not take AI's; they were destructive for me. But those 15 lbs took 4 years to lose, and that was on top of the 90 I needed to lose. UGH! My sister lost weight on an organic diet, so in our family we have shifted to more organic choices, particularly with meat, but it is a budget killer. I can't say that it has helped, but it surely tastes a whole lot better. Dogs can be a help for moving. I borrow my kiddo's pooches, and walk our property--good for them and me. However, I have been struggling with crushing fatigue for the last 3 years (of course, now I know why), so this April I picked up a FitBit. I use it more as a reference and reminder. Days when I am tired, I ignore it, which sadly happens often. The shock of being told I was Stage 4, and initially told I had 18 months, completely killed my appetite. I lost 10 pounds over 2 months, and so far am holding. Fingers crossed!
Regarding medical students. I married my DH after his first year of medical school. Although he would share his adventures with me, it was usually in the you won't believe category, like the baby who peed all over his scrubs, or the patient he saved by using a new combination of medicine. And this was before HIPPA. After that, I mostly heard regrets, the people he could not save (Critical Care specialist), and there were never any details. My hope is that the medical students you helped that day had the same discretion, and you were just another patient. Please remember, you always have the right to refuse medical students--I have on occasion with my kiddos, when I didn't feel comfortable.
It is wonderful to not be alone on this weight issue.
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Movingsoccermom, I am very disappointed in a doctor that would give you an 18 month prognosis, especially without knowing how you’ll respond to treatment. This life is far from over but I assume you know that. It’s been my experience that those with a fatalistic mindset would not have bothered to improve their diet and get a Fitbit. (FYI, there’s a group here & on Fitbit) Stage V fitness, if you’re looking for motivation or want to share your activity with us.
Update: No Xenical after all, it’s not approved by insurance and I won’t pay $700 a month for it. For now, I’m just being a bit more strict with what I eat, easing back into fasting with a 14 hour fast and adding an exercise class to my normal routine.
Speaking of bad medical experiences, my PCP recommendation a gyno friend for a suspected ovarian cyst. She rushed through the exam saying everything was fine but when I asked about an ultrasound, she said with a crappy tone “yeah, that’s not gonna help, it can’t see though all this fat”. Never saw that bitch again.
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"Can't see through all this fat"?! I'm angry just reading about this. I've so had it with medical professionals passing judgement on higher BMI patients. One orthopedic surgeon took it on himself to harangue me about weight. Not only did I never see him again, I made a big deal of demanding my records and imaging studies so I could go elsewhere. Then I found a surgeon who saw me for the hard-working, intelligent, fit person that I am and had bilateral knee replacements in the same surgery. I was (gently) mountain biking for rehab in 2 weeks.
Illimae, you should write a letter of complaint to the GYN chief of staff. I know her comment was humiliating and something you'd just as soon forget, but if bigots aren't called on their attitudes, nothing will change.
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Thank you Movingsoccermom - you are most assuredly not alone on this issue and I am so glad to meet you. Your positive spirit is a real gift today. Six month scans tomorrow starting with MRIs so your pep is really lovely xx - Love, Belle
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sbelizabeth, I agree, however this happened years ago but I did talk to my PCP about his recommendation letting him know that her hatred and disgust was obvious and unprofessional.
Fortunately, most medical staff I’ve interacted with aren’t being rude or judgmental.
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When I needed a hip replacement, the first doctor I was referred to was a sports medicine orthopedist, and a total prick. He said he'd NEVER do surgery on someone as fat as me. I knew people larger than I was who'd had joint replacements, so he was full of shit. I may have said that out loud. 😏 I went to another doc who got a good laugh out of it and was happy to fix my hip.
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Illimae - I like and follow your posts often and am glad to be in a thread with you. That doctor missed out on a relationship with a strong and beautiful person. I went to see a surgeon about my knees. He looked me straight in the face - medical student at his side - and said “you’re fat. No one will want to work on you. What’s wrong with you - just start eating less!” I looked at the medical asst and said “write what he just said in your notebook. You have just heard the absolute worst thing to say to a patient, and never repeat it.” And I turned to the doctor and said “Fack you - plain and simple - fack you.” I am still not over it years later - but saying it here helps with the shame I felt when it happened. I think you are wonderful for being honest. Love, Belle xx
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I’ve been following the discussion and I am so angry at the comments from so many of your doctors!
Teddy, I would have responded with “ why do you speak out of your ass and sit on your brain?” Sorry, it was the first thing that came to my mind! I’m so glad you dished it right back to him!
Honestly do doctors think people sit down and say, “gee, what can I eat to make myself really fat?”
I am joining the gym on Thursday. My diet is healthy and my portions are small. I’m doing all I can, so if any doctor has an issue with me, they just have to deal with it! I see my cardiologist tomorrow and I know weight will come up!
I joined Weight Watchers six years ago and lost 56 pounds. I still needed to lose another 50 to reach goal. I couldn’t afford to keep paying once the weight started to come off slower. I invested a year, but I don’t lose fast. I thought I could keep going on my own without the meetings, but I stopped measuring and most of the weight crept back from on. The plan isn’t set up for people who have a lot to lose, especially those of us with fluid retention issues. My lymphedema arm swelling went down a little but not much. My other water retention issues got much better. Iretain a lot of water, especially in the heat, which I think is hereditary. That isn’t to say I am not fat,I definitely am.
All I can do is try my best through diet and exercise and not let the jerks discourage me.
So glad we have each other here!
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Mavericksmom - Yes! So good to have each other here. Never alone, understood on so many levels and laughs in between
Good luck tomorrow and keep us posted on all the week’s happenings! xx Love, Bell0 -
At 237 lbs, I had a knee replacement back in march. I went in as the underdog with my rom less than 90. My surgeon who's the best just said you need to work really hard especially the first couple weeks after surgery for rom. I not only reached the goals but was ahead of what was expected. My surgeon rooted me on, called me a couple times even! Best experience for a shitty surgery.
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My orthopedic guy, who does sports medicine for Toronto Blue Jays when they’re here in spring, flat out told me he wouldn’t do knee replacements until I was 200 or less. Don’t some of those ball player (zillion $$ babies) weigh more than that?
Then my pcp said all the orthos around here ganged up and made 200 the cut off. So I guess I’ll just hobble.
Went to see cardiologist last week. Last visit he suggested by pass surgery. I’ve had enough surgeries for 2 people. Then this time he suggested intermittent fasting. Uh no, my diabetes is in great control and I like to eat, and what you can eat interfered with my meds.
Grumble.
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Spookiesmom, I'm absolutely incredulous. Two hundred pounds and that's it! I've known so many men AND women who weighed more than that and had simultaneous knee replacements. Me included. This is just wrong.
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there is a limit on weight. The reason is the implant can only carry so much vs your own knee. Those who have limits are not surgeons with a lot of experience. I worked for 2 at the center for joint replacement for 10 years who only do hip and knee replacements. They are tops. And of course I went to one of them for mine.
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